Spinning wing decoy laws? Do they work?

[BLACKJACK]

Was looking at a non-motorized spinning wing decoy yesterday, its called the Lucky Duck and sits on a 3 foot stake. I know there are some specific laws regarding dos and don't with them, public vrs private, does anyone know what the laws are? And do these spinning wings decoys work? Have you used one?

[broken_line]

from what i get out of the regs youi can use motorized some part of the season but dont wanna risk being wrong.. as far as wind powered. go ahead and buy one.. i loooveeee real wings for geesee.. kinda suck if its not really wndy but easily replaces 6 to 7 deks for bringing themm in..

[Lunker]

I had a Lucky a couple years ago. Was not worth the frustration for me. It had to be very windy, and even then it had to be perfectly level or the wings would spin different speeds. I threw the thing in the trash after one season...

However, the electronic ones(I love my mojos with remotes) are dynamite.

[fishuhalik]

Yes, they work

[Heartman]

They work indeed.

[Maxxed Out]

You can use the non motorized/wind aided spinning wings anywhere anytime in MN. For motorized you have to wait until after the 7th on private land and they are never legal on state land.

They work, they are legit. They are absolutely lethal when field hunting. However geese hate them so unless you have geese that really want in, plan on it being ducks only as long as your air lucky is in your spread.

[nate larson]

Yup they work fine. Just stay away from the lucky duck. My buddy had one a few years back and it could be blowing at 30 mph and only one wing would spin. I would suggest getting a WINDUK. They work great!

[SORNO]

I did some mods to my Lucky duck but it still isn't that great. but you can use it the whole year compared to the motorized ones.

Spinning decoy's work like a million bucks IMO.

Little story:

Last year, before the lucky duck, my dad and I were hunting and across the lake from us was two other guys with a spinning decoy. My dad and I called the ducks to the lake and then when they seen his spinner they flared off of our decoys and over to there's they never called once and got all the ducks. Since then I have had some kind of spinner with me.

[Lunker]

Maxxed,

You mention never using them on state land...I believe the regulation is never on WMAs.

[mnhunter79]

JUNK!! They had to be faced directly into the wind. and then sometimes only one wing would spin. returned both of mine for a mojo. much better. And yes geese hate them.

[broken_line]

do you think the geese hate reel wings? the ducks love em..

[Maxxed Out]

Not sure what Reel Wings are, but if it is a spinning wing decoy, yes Geese hate them. Take my advice, I learned the hard way. If you hunt ducks and geese together in field you have to have a way to turn it off.

Yes you have to face them into the wind, ducks land into the wind, why is that a bad thing?

Lunker, yes it is WMA's, regs state water and lands fully contained in State Wildlife Management Areas. That's all we have where I hunt, so to me WMA's are everything.

[Quackaddict9]

Quote:

If you hunt ducks and geese together in field you have to get a spinning wing with a remote.

Absolutley false.... I've done it all the time, Ducks usually come first before geese and when we get our limit of drakes we usually take down the Mojos and geese start to come in. Of course there may be a flock or two that come in early in the morning when ducks are coming in as well but if you're on the X, you can wait for more later. That's from my experience.

I thought Remotes were illegal in MN? Did that change for this year?

[Maxxed Out]

Quote:

If you hunt ducks and geese together in field you have to get a spinning wing with a remote.

Absolutley false.... I've done it all the time, Ducks usually come first before geese and when we get our limit of drakes we usually take down the Mojos and geese start to come in. Of course there may be a flock or two that come in early in the morning when ducks are coming in as well but if you're on the X, you can wait for more later. That's from my experience.

I thought Remotes were illegal in MN? Did that change for this year?

You can have them up in the field you just can't have the wings spinning when you have geese working your spread. Unless they really want in to your spread they flare at about 150 yards.

[brittman]

From the 2009 MN Waterfowl Regs

Quote:

MOTORIZED DECOY RESTRICTIONS

From the opening day of the duck season (and on Youth Waterfowl Day) through Saturday October 10, a person may not use a motorized decoy or other motorized device designed to attract migratory waterfowl. On water bodies and lands fully contained within state wildlife management area boundaries, a person may not use motorized decoys or motorized devices designed to attract migratory waterfowl at any time during the duck season. This restriction applies whether the motor is running or not. Devices without motors, such as windpowered spinning-wing decoys, are not restricted under this law.

Regarding Radio control devices ... from the general DNR regs ...

Quote:

Radios and Other Wireless Devices

• Using walkie talkies, cell phones, remote control or other radio

equipment to take big game or small game is unlawful.

• A DNR permit is required to take unprotected animals with the

aid of radio equipment, see page 25.

Says nothing about waterfowl ...

[cutter08]

Yes but waterfowl are considered small game. I use a remote on my spinners too but there is definitely a gray area there and if you come across the wrong CO on the wrong day you may get popped for it.

[Quackaddict9]

You can have them up in the field you just can't have the wings spinning when you have geese working your spread. Unless they really want in to your spread they flare at about 150 yards.

That's true, not saying I've never done it but there have been a few times where geese worked the spread when mojos were going, but all of that have been on water and after a limit of geese...it never works when you need to shoot a goose or two to fill your bag!!! Looks like I'll be buying a remote kit but that's a tricky one where the DNR says can't use remote devices but does not say that for waterfowl.

[Maxxed Out]

yes I would agree with you, that the only time they ignore the Mojo is when you already have a limit of geese. We had a five man 10 bird limit last year in about 25 minutes, and switched to ducks. We put out two mojos, put the ducks to the front of the spread and we had a flock of 10 canada's tnat almost landed on the mojos, then proceeded to walk into the spread and feed under them. It was nuts.

[PierBridge]

Wireless remotes are ILLEGAL... we hardwired ours so they are LEGAL!

[brittman]

Wireless remotes are ILLEGAL... we hardwired ours so they are LEGAL!

not necessarily true based on discussion above. Hardwiring (like speakers on a spring snow goose e-caller) is a nice idea though ... at least for field hunting ...

MOGS suggestion of talking with the area warden is also good suggestion.

[wooduck26]

The Warden in the Appleton area will bust you for a remote on your spinner....I HAD one, I do not anymore, I did NOT get a ticket but you will get one if caught, they are illegal.

[Maxxed Out]

Interesting I'll have to do more digging.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Warden's exact words "There is nothing in the Regs that says specifically says you can't use them for Waterfowl."

Case Closed.

maxxedout...which wardens have you talked to about this?

wooduck, do you know the name of the warden you encountered?

[cutter08]

maxxed. I don't know what CO you talked to but i have talked to a few in the WBL Forest lake area and they both told me that they don't really check for that but there is a definite gray area there and you could be sited because WATERFOUL ARE CONSIDERED SMALL GAME. So its not case closed. Also there is nothing in the rule book that says there is an exception for waterfowl that you can use a remote on your spinners.

[BLACKJACK]

Interesting how some guys say the Lucky Ducks are junk and some say they're ok, some guys say remotes are legal, some say they're illegal.

I'm not going to pop for a remote, but what I'm looking for in a spinning wing decoy is one thats easy to transport and easy to put together in the field in the dark, thats why I was contemplating the Lucky duck, it seemed to be pretty straight forward on the setup.

Any thoughts on the setup of the spinning wing decoys that you've used, motorized or non-motorized??